Bidens plant named ‘Peters Goldteppich’

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Bidens plant named ‘Peters Goldteppich’, characterized by its low-growing and cascading plant habit; freely branching, dense and bushy appearance; high vigor; small dark green foliage; early and continuous flowering; and large golden yellow inflorescences held above and beyond the foliage on wiry peduncles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Bidensplant, botanically known as Bidens ferulifolia and referred to by thecultivar name Peter Goldteppich.

The new Bidens was discovered by the Inventor in Neu St. Johann,Switzerland, in the spring, 1996, within a population of seedlingprogeny from various random crosses of Bidens ferulifolia cultivarGoldmarie, not patented, and Bidens ferulifolia cultivar Procumbens, notpatented, that were made in the winter, 1995. The selection of thisplant was based on its earlier flowering, more compact and denser growthhabit, and better overall plant performance compared to the parentcultivars.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings at Neu St.Johann, Switzerland, has shown that the unique features of this newBidens are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Peters Goldteppich’. Thersecharacteristics in combination distinguish ‘Peters Goldteppich’ as a newand distinct cultivar:

1. Low-growing and cascading plant habit.

2. Freely branching, dense and bushy appearance.

3. High vigor.

4. Small dark green foliage.

5. Early and continuous flowering.

6. Large golden yellow inflorescences held above and beyond the foliageon wiry peduncles.

The new Bidens can be compared to plants of the Bidens cultivar Innbid,disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,261. However, in side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Gensingen, Germany, plants of the new Bidenshave darker green leaves, larger inflorescences, and flower earlier thanplants of the cultivar Innbid. In addition, plants of the new Bidenshave a low-growing cascading plant habit whereas plants of the cultivarInnbid are mostly upright.

The cultivar Peters Goldteppich has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Bidens, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which more accurately describe the actualcolors of the new Bidens.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a top perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Peters Goldteppich’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of upperand loser surfaces of typical leaves, typical inflorescence buds, andlower and upper surfaces of typical inflorescences of ‘PetersGoldteppich’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following observations, measurements and values describe 20-cmcontainers with three plants of the new cultivar grown in Bonsall,Calif., under outdoor, full-sun conditions with day temperatures rangingfrom 21 to 35° C. and night temperatures ranging from 13 to 18° C.Plants used for the description were about six to eight weeks old.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance areused.

Botanical classification: Bidens ferulifolia cultivar PetersGoldteppich.

Parentage: Selection from seedling progeny from random crosses of Bidensferulifolia cultivar Goldmarie (not patented) and Bidens ferulifoliacultivar Procumbens (not patented).

Propagation:

Type.—By terminal cuttings.

Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 14 days at 22° C.

Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 16 days at 20° C.

Time to develop roots, summer.—About 21 days at 22° C.

Time to develop roots, winter.—About 25 days at 20° C.

Root description.—Fibrous and freely branching.

Plant description:

Appearance.—Herbaceous container and garden plant. Low-growing andspreading, cascading growth habit. Full plants with dense foliage andinflorescences held above and beyond the foliage on wiry peduncles.

Crop time.—From planting rooted cuttings, about 6 to 8 weeks arerequired to produce a finished, flowering plant in a 10-cm container.

Vigor.—Vigorous.

Plant height.—About 15 cm.

Plant spread.—About 47 cm.

Lateral branches.—Quantity: Freely branching, about 8 lateral branches.Pinching, that is, removal of terminal apices, enhances branching.Length: About 30 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Internode length: About 4.75cm. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 144B with some anthocyanin, 79D.

Foliage description.—Leaves opposite, single. Length: About 3.2 cm.Width: About 2 cm. Shape: Dissected; pinnatifid. Apex: Narrowly acute.Base: Attenuate. Texture: Smooth. Petiole length: About 1 cm. Petiolediameter: About 2 mm. Color: Young foliage, upper surface: 138A. Youngfoliage, lower surface: 138B. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface:147A; venation, 147B. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 147B;venation, 147B. Petiole: 138B.

Inflorescence description:

Appearance.—Daisy-type composite inflorescence form; actinomorphic. Discand ray florets arranged acropetally on a capitulum. Inflorescencesdisplayed above and beyond the foliage on wiry peduncles; pedunclesarising from upper leaf axils. Continuously flowering, numerousinflorescences open at the same time. Inflorescences last about one weekon the plant; persistent. Floriferous with typically about 65inflorescence buds and open inflorescences per plant.

Flowering response.—Plants flower continuously from March/April toOctober/November in the Northern Hemisphere.

Fragrance.—Not detected.

Inflorescence bud.—Length: About 1.2 mm. Diameter: About 7 mm. Shape:Ovoid. Color: 12A.

Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 4 cm. Depth (height): About 1 cm.Diameter of disc: About 1 cm.

Ray florets.—Length: About 2.2 cm. Width: About 1.4 cm. Shape: Oblong toelliptic. Apex: Broadly acute or slightly tri-dentate. Base: Acute.Margin: Entire. Aspect: Mostly flat. Texture: Smooth, satiny. Number ofray florets per inflorescence: About five in a single whorl. Color: Whenopening, upper surface: 13A. When opening, lower surface: 13B. Fullyopened, upper surface: 12A. Fully opened, upper surface: 12B.

Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular; fluted at apex. Number of disc florets perinflorescence: About 94. Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.Color: Immature: 4B. Mature: 5A.

Phyllaries.—Quantity: About 15 in three whorls. Length: About 5 mm.Shape: Elongated elliptic. Apex: Rounded. Margin: Entire. Texture:Slightly pubescent. Color: Upper surface: 137A. Lower surface: 137B.

Peduncle.—Length: First peduncle: About 9.2 cm. Second peduncle: About10.5 cm. Third peduncle: About 10.5 cm. Aspect: Flexible, wiry,moderately strong; inflorescences held above and beyond foliage; angledabout 45° to the stem. Texture: Smooth, velvety. Color: 144B.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets only. Stamenquantity: Five per disc floret. Anther shape: Elongate. Anther size:About 2 mm. Anther color: 177A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color:13A. Gynoecium: Present on ray and disc florets. Pistil length: About 6mm. Stigma shape: Recurved, bipartite. Stigma color: 12A. Style length:About 3 mm. Style color: 12C. Ovary color: 4A. Seed: Seed developmenthas not been observed.

Disease resistance: Resistance to pathogens common to Bidens has notbeen observed on plants of the new Bidens.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Bidens plant named ‘Peters Goldteppich’, as illustrated and described. 